Folding crate.



PATENTBD FEB. 3, 1903.

A. A. SMITH. FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H0 MODEL.

WITNESSES:

A TI'ORNE YS.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTOHNE Y8.

//v VENTO/i' PATENTED FEB. 3, 1903. A. A. SMITH. FOLDING CRATE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AVERY A. SMITH, OF EVART, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,893, dated February 3, 1903. Application filed September 6. 1902. Serial No. 122,344. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AVERY A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Evart, in the county of Osceola and State of Michigan,have invented a new and Improved Folding Crate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to knockdownreceptacles; and its object is to provide a new and improved crate which is simple and durable in construction, cheap to manufacture, easily set up, and arranged to fold into a comparatively small space for convenient shipping without danger of losing or misplacing any of the parts of the crate.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement in a set-up position with the lid partly open. Fig. 2 is a like View of the same partly folded. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same folded. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the improvement. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of one end and one side detached one from the other, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the improvement in a folded-up position.

The front and rear sides A and A of the crate are provided at their ends with vertically-disposed trunnions A journaled in top and bottom sills B, B, B and B secured to end pieces 0 and C to allow of swinging the connected parts mentioned into a folded position, as plainly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. On the inner face of the front side A and at the lower end thereof is hinged a bottom D, adapted to fold or rest against the inner face of the front side A when the crate is in a knocked-down position, the said bottom being adapted to swing downward to rest on the bottom sills B and 13 when the crate is in an extended or set-up position. To the top of the rear side A is hinged a lid or cover E, adapted to swing between the top sills B and B and rest with its free end on the upper edge of the front side A, and the said lid or cover E is provided at its free end with a suitable fastening device, such as a hook E, adapted to engage a staple E attached to the outer face of the front side A.

The crate is preferably provided with a transverse partition F for dividing the crate into two compartments, and the said partition F is provided at one end with eyes F, engaging a vertically-disposed rod or pintle G, secured at its ends to the inner face of the rear side A, so that the partition F can swing on the said rod or pintle G and slide up and down thereon.

The up-and-down movement of the partition F is desirable to allow of swinging the bottom D into position when the crate is to be set up or when it is to be folded, it being understood that in either case the partition F is slid upward to allow of swinging the bottom D into the desired position. Now when the crate is set up the bottom D rests on the bottom sills B and B and abuts against a post A carrying the trunnions A, so that the crate cannot collapse while the bottom is in this position. After the bottom is in position the partition F can be swung over into a transverse position, and its free end may be moved in engagement with a suitable looking device, such as a spring H, to hold the partition against accidental folding.

The crate can now be filled with the material to be shipped, and then the lid or cover can be closed and fastened by the fastening devices E and E When the crate is emptied of its contents, it can be readily folded up by swinging the partition F rearward against the inner face of the side A and then sliding it upward to allow of swinging the bottom D into position against the inner face of the front side A, and then the sides and ends are swung into a closedor folded position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the lid or cover E resting against the outer face of the rear side A. The folded crate now takes up comparatively little room to permit of conveniently returning the crate to the original shipper.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. Afoldingcrate comprising front and rear in which the trunnions are journaled, a bottom hinged to one of the sides and adapted to rest on the bottom sills, and a cover hinged to one of the sides, as set forth.

2. A folding crate comprising front and rear sides provided with vertical trunnions at their ends, end pieces having top and bottom sills, in which the trunnions are journaled, a bottom hinged to one of the sides and adapted to rest on the bottom sills, a cover hinged to one of the sides, and a transverse partition mounted to swing and to slide on the inner face of one of the sides, as set forth.

3. Afolding crate comprisingfront and rear sides, provided at their ends with posts terminating in trunnions, end pieces having top and bottom sills, in which the trunnions are journaled, a bottom hinged to the front side at the lower end thereof and adapted to rest on the bottom sills and abut against the said posts, and a cover hinged to the rear side at the upper end thereof and adapted to fold against the outer face thereof, as set forth.

4. Afolding crate comprising front and rear sides, provided at their ends with posts terminating in trunnions, end pieces having top and bottom sills, in which the trunnions are journaled, a bottom hinged to the front side at the lower end thereof and adapted to rest on the bottom sills and abut against the said posts, a cover hinged to the rear side at the upper end thereof and adapted to fold against the outer face thereof, a transverse partition having eyes, and a rod secured at the inner face of the rear side and engaged by the said eyes, for the partition to swing and to slide on the rod, as set forth.

5. Afolding crate comprising front and rear sides, provided at their ends with posts terminating in trunnions, end pieces having top and bottom sills, in which the trunnions are journaled, a bottom hinged to the front side at the lower end thereof and adapted to rest on the bottom sills and abut against the said posts, a cover hinged to the rear side at the upper end thereof and adapted to fold against the outer face thereof, a transverse partition having eyes, a rod secured at the inner face of the rear side and engaged by the said eyes, for the partition to swing and to slide on the rod, and a fastening device on the inner face of the front side, for engagement by the free end of the said partition, as set forth.

6. Afoldingcrate having frontand rearside sections, vertically-disposed posts at each end of said sections, the length of said posts being greater than the width of the sections to which they are secured to permit said posts to project at their top and bottom ends beyond said side sections of the crate, each projecting end of the posts being formed into trunnions, end pieces having top and bottom sills with projecting ends having recesses in which the trunnions are journaled, a bottom hinged to one of the sides and adapted to rest on the bottom sills, and a cover hinged to one of the sides at the top thereof.

7. A folding crate having front and rear side sections, strengthening-posts extending transversely of said sections at their ends and projecting beyond the top and bottom edges of said sections, said projecting portions being formed into trunnions, end pieces having top and bottom sills, the ends and sides of said sills projecting beyond the pieces by which they are carried, the projecting ends of the sills having apertures in which the journals of the side sections are received, a cover hinged to one of the sides at its top, and a bottom hinged to one of the sides at its lower inner edge, the inwardly-projecting sides of the bottom sills serving to form a support for the bottom, at each end thereof, when in its operative position.

8. A folding crate having front and rear sides and a partition carried by one of said sides, and Vertically adjustable thereon and adapted to swing against said side, and means for holding said partition in operative position in said crate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AVERY A. SMITH.

Witnesses:

O. H. ROSE, MARY DENNISON WAIT. 

